DV Biologics executes agreement with System Biosciences to develop iPSC lines

DV Biologics LLC announced today that it has executed an agreement with System Biosciences LLC for the development of human-derived disease-specific induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines.

iPSCs are pluripotent cells which are developed from non-pluripotent cells that have undergone gene expression changes to render them pluripotent giving them the ability to then form many different cell types.

iPSCs offer an exceedingly-powerful approach to study disease biology and the need for disease-specific iPSCs is just now being fully appreciated.  For example, the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) recently funded a patient-specific iPSC project for producing Parkinson's Disease neurons at The Parkinson's Institute and University of Cincinnati has formed a iPSC specialized core facility to develop these cell types to study the causes of different diseases.  

DV Biologics' product portfolio offers an extensive collection of disease-specific cell types, many of which will be converted into iPSCs by System Biosciences using the company's proprietary products for reprogramming and iPSC generation.  System Biosciences offers a broad portfolio of products for stem cell research and the addition of disease-specific iPSC lines is a key component of the offering.  System Biosciences will exclusively market several iPSCs developed under this collaborative agreement to customers worldwide.

"It is DV Biologics' desire to see the products we offer incorporated into new and exciting research initiatives.  These cells will further our understanding of disease models and improve drug discovery as well as how physicians approach and administer treatments," says Francisco Silva, CEO.

Both DV Biologics and System Biosciences will be exhibiting at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 8th Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California, June 16-19, 2010.  System Biosciences at exhibit booth804 and DV Biologics exhibit booth836.